More Butternut Squash Love

What’s not to love about this incredible edible?  And who knew it could be so much fun?  Goofy fun in the kitchen and name that tune as well.  Although I’m not as old as all of these lyric choices would indicate!

How high’s the water Mama?

And the walls come a tumblin’ down.

Our love is like a ship on the ocean…

You are so beautiful…. to me.

Okay, so maybe I got carried away (or should be carried away)…it is after all just a vegetable.  

Just a vegetable you say?!  

Vegetables and unprocessed food are at the heart of every big healthy eating plan.  You name it – Raw, Vegan, Paleo, GAPS – veggies is in it, on it and down around the corner!  So the more ways you can feed yourself and your loved ones veggies the better.  Veggies are the good guys – the best guys and they don’t even mind being eaten!

I had a hankering for a pasta dish we used to eat, and no longer do because hubby’s health issues led us away from gluten and dairy.  I do miss the gluten and have been known to order a sandwich…. yes a sandwich, at restaurants with much more interesting fare because of the bread that is not used so much at home.  At any rate…. We have used rice pasta, but it doesn’t pack the protein that whole wheat pasta does, it is also pricey and not as good.  But why rely on pasta?  What about nice red potatoes?  They are nice… and red after all.  Throw in some walnuts for protein and this roasted butternut squash on penne recipe that I thought relied heavily on parmesan cheese for its flavor turned out to be delicious without!  I was very pleased with the result.  You can make this with or without parmesan and you can put it on pasta or potatoes.  Either way, I think you are going to love it!

The original recipe is from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook as Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne Pasta

Squash, Onion, Potato Melee

2 medium butternut squash (8 – 10 cups after cubed and peeled)
2 medium diced sweet onions (about 2 cups)
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
4 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. salt
About 3 cups red potatoes cut into chunks
1.5 cups walnuts
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375
Peel and cube the butternut squash, and yes here is a vegetable that I actually DO peel
Dice those sweet ol’ onions and shed a few tears for their goodness
Mince the garlic
Toss the above along with the chili flakes, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a big bowl and mix it up.
Dump into a baking sheet with sides 

  
Now you don’t want too much liquid in the bottom of your pan or you won’t get good roasting of the garlic or onions, so beware of that as you pour in your melee of orange and white.

Roast for 45 – 60 minutes until desired tenderness, stirring occasionally

While this is roasting, wash and cube your red potatoes and put in a pot of water to boil.  I do not peel potatoes, why waste time and nutrients and the opportunity to be lazy?

Set them boiling about 20 minutes before you expect the squash to be done. It’ all right if they are done first and sit in hot water for awhile.

10- 15 minutes prior to squash done-ness, add the 1.5 cups of walnuts and stir around.

When it’s all done, take out the pan and stir in the nutritional yeast flakes.  If you’ve never used these, they add a lot of cheesy flavor, have lots of B vitamins and are available at health food stores, or from Amazon.  They seem expensive, but a little goes a long way, so it’s a long term investment

 We ate this piled right on top of potatoes and it was dee-licious.  My 12 year old was not impressed, but he didn’t like the original either and he is definitely not a fan of squash.  Ah well, his growth spurt is coming and then he’ll eat anything.   HAHAHAHA  I can’t wait!  In the meantime, there is more of the leftover of this for moi.

ENJOY!

If you’d like some other squash recipes, Little Sis and I have a Butternut Squash Soup & a lovely Baked Acorn Squash Surprise in the files.

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